JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Jan. 27, 2012) – The ETSU baseball team will officially open preseason practice Friday as the Buccaneers continue to prepare for the start of the 2012 season.

“Our ball club and staff are so excited about officially getting started today,” said ETSU head coach Tony Skole. “Our players returned from the holidays in great shape and we have had a productive two weeks of preparation to get ready for today. It is hard to imagine that Opening Day is just three weeks away.

“Obviously we have a ton of hard work and preparation ahead of us, but hard work is something that this group has not shied away from. Our coaching staff is very excited about this group. We have set a very high standard that we expect these guys to adhere to and it has been exciting to see them improve on a daily basis.”

This season will also mark the inaugural season for the Bucs in brand new Thomas Stadium.

“There is great anticipation of finally being in our new facility” added Skole. “It is going to be very exciting these next three weeks to see the development actually come to life, as the surface is being put down. It is going to be a phenomenal place to play and finally a place that we can call home. We are looking forward to kicking off the 2012 season at “The Thom.”

ETSU returns five field starters, three starting pitchers and 17 letterwinners from last season’s 36-21 squad. In addition, the Bucs have nine newcomers on the team.